I'm goin to Las Vegas with families durin Xmas and was deciding to take a day and drive somewhere but not California (been there too many times) so was thinkin about visiting the GRAND CANYON SKYWALK? Does anybody know how long it would take to get to that part of the Grand Canyon? or how far up you need to go to be at some "tourist" area of the Grand Canyon from Vegas?
Cost and Travel The road to the Skywalk is very poorly marked from Las Vegas. After turning off from the main road you must travel 11 miles down a dirt road that will coat your car in fine dust. Whenever someone passes, you are lost in a cloud of dust for a few seconds. The road is narrow and bumpy. When you arrive at the Grand Canyon West Airport (base for skywalk operations), you will find the ticket booth. You must buy a bus ticket for nearly $50.00 to travel the last mile to mile and half (it includes a buffet lunch). Then, if you want to go onto the skywalk you have to buy an additional $25.00 ticket. In short, it is a $75.00 fee (25 cents more for the locker for your camera) for a short walk over the canyon. --- that sounds like a money. oh yea, you can't take a camera on it either.
Have you ever been to the Grand Canyon? If not, definitely go. If you have, go to Zion National Park in Utah. It's really close to Vegas, and it's one of the most beautiful places on Earth.
Took my wife to Vegas last weekend to see Elton John; we spent three days in Utah and went to Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks.........can't recommend it highly enough. Absolutely breathtaking, and the weather was perfect.........granted, it is probably getting to be that time of year when it could snow at any time.
From vegas to the grand canyon will probably take you about 2 hours to drive it. I live in Phoenix and we drive to vegas from phoenix and it takes abou 5 hours. Phoenix is great, you can drive to vegas in 5 hours to gamble and party, drive 5 hours to San Diego to hang out at the beach, or drive 3 hours to the resort town of Rocky Point, Mexico.
I sat next to a newlywed couple on the way home from Vegas that did the Grand Canyon skywalk thing. I mentioned that I heard it was pretty pricey, but they both insisted it was well worth the drive and fee to walk out on the skywalk. They said it was great and the food was good as well.
its going to take more than 2 hours. i'd lean more toward 3-4, but i've never made that particular drive. so im just guessing
My friends and I are considering the exact same thing during the Christmas vacation. Although we plan on doing the scenic road trip for maybe 2-3 days. I didn't realize it would cost $75 to do the skywalk thing. I assume there's plenty of things to do at the Grand Canyon besides the skywalk that's cheaper? We'd like to do our own thing if possible.
if you have time...and if it hasnt closed yet, the North Rim is the best place to go. It isnt near as touristy, however it is a good bit out of the way
I was trying to do this in January, but from Vegas to the South Rim of the GC looks to be a little over 4 hours...However, Zion is only about a little over 2, so I'll probably do that instead... Also: Highway 67 into the North Rim remains open to public travel through mid-November, but from mid-November on, Highway 67 may close for the season on short notice due to major storms and heavy snowfall. Check with the Arizona Department of Transportation for road conditions (www.dot.state.az.us ).
North Rim is closed. From the dam, it's about 80 minutes to Kingman, then 90 minutes to Williams (120 to Flag) and from there, an hour to the entrance (90+ from Flag.) So, 4-5 hours, depending on if you go through Flag. Figure a good 2-3 hours to see the very basics, and it's a full day if you head back to Vegas. If you have an extra day, break it up by spending the night in Flag... lots of good restaurants and a brew pub, as well as a decent college scene. Macalu is correct regarding the roads to the Skywalk. The Hualapai Tribe is in negotiations with one of the private landowners to pave the rest of the road, but as of now, it is still dirt. Quite a few buses head out there from Vegas and Pink Jeeps also does drives to the Skywalk, so that's an option is you don't trust your rental car on dirt roads when the weather can be iffy. This is the big moneymaker for the Hualapai Tribe, which was nearly decimated in the Indian Wars during the late 1800's (A sad story that involves a bunch of drunk miners starting the war by dressing up like soldiers and massacring a traveling band, which of course led the Hualapais to attack the real soldiers and the whole thing went downhill from there)... so that takes a little sting off the price. They do not operate a casino.
